Physicians are often faced with determining whether a patient has a respiratory condition that requires the use of supplemental oxygen. For example, a patient with a history of respiratory problems may appear confused or manifest symptoms of lack of oxygen. However, a determination of whether or not a patient needs supplemental oxygen is often difficult to make. Clinical signs such as mental status, pulse rate and breathing pattern are often unreliable indicators as to whether or not supplemental oxygen is needed.
In practice, physicians often perform one or more oxygenation tests on a patient in which the patient may be asked to ambulate, typically by walking, while the patient's oxygenation status is determined. However, methods used to determine the oxygenation status of a patient are often based on the individual preferences and intuitions of a physician, rather than based on a standard workflow for determining oxygenation status.